Wasylycia-Leis said she had planned to hold the Feb. 2 event at the Park Theatre.

But city officials told her candidates, even those merely thinking of running for the city's top job, cannot raise or spend money until the official campaign period begins in May of the election year.

Wasylycia-Leis said the city's crack-down on even potential candidates could cause a chilll.

"It sends the wrong message to people thinking about getting involved in politics," she said. "It puts another obstacle in place to newcomers to the political scene who might want to run for office and get involved in a very active way and are told, here's another road block."

Former city councillor Gord Steeves ran afoul of the rules when he spent money to announce he was running last year.